972 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



was established in 1870 on Mount Washington, New Hampshire, (6,300 

 ft.). Here are experienced the severest weather conditions in the world. 

 At present but two high-level stations are maintained in this country, at 

 Mount Hamilton, California, and at Blue Hill, Massachusetts. The 

 highest station in Europe is at Rochers des Bosses, 1,460 ft. below the 

 summit of Mount Blanc. 



The highest in Germany is on Sonnblick (10,170 ft.). The Eiffel tower 

 in Paris has instruments at 980 ft. above the ground. Observations at 

 such stations, however, can never take the place of records in the free 

 air, and we must depend on records from balloons. The first scientific 

 ascension was made from London by Jeffries in 1784. The instru- 

 ments for making observations in balloons have recently been greatly 

 improved. Berson last year made an ascension to nearly 29,000 ft. 

 He found : 



(1) A much more rapid decrease of temperature between 1 and 6 

 miles than has been assumed for winter. 



(2) A rise of temperature in the morning and evening between the 

 earth and 1 mile above it. 



(3) A very feeble insolation, a great humidity of the upper strata, 

 and a fine haze which extended to his highest point. 



(4) A snowflake structure of the cirro-stratus clouds, formerly 

 thought to be composed of ice crystals. 



(5) A great increase of wind, from nearly a calm at the earth to 36 

 miles per hour at the average height of the balloon. 



Kites have been used for determining meteorologic conditions in the 

 atmosphere, and their use has been begun very recently at Blue Hill, 

 Massachusetts. — h. a. hazen. 



The high flight of the balloon "Cirrus," A. Berson {Ztschr. 

 Luftshiff/ahrt, 1895, Feb. and Mar., p. 73). — The author gives an 

 account of a second high flight of the "Cirrus," September 6, 1894, 

 and of the ascensions at the same time of the balloons "Phcenix" 

 (70,600 cu. ft. capacity) and " Majestic" (106,000 cu. ft.). The balloon 

 "Cirrus" reached 61,000 ft. (11.74 miles), and brought back a temper- 

 ature record of —89° F. ( — 67° C.) at the highest ijoint. Its velocity 

 was 83 miles per hour toward the ENE. It was not found till the last 

 of September, near Wilna, in Russia. The "Phoenix" reached a little 

 over 20,000 ft. and moved at about 38 miles per hour at an average height 

 of 15,000ft. The lowest temperature was -15° F. (— 26° C). The 

 diminution in temperature for the "Cirrus" was 2.4° F. in each 1,000 

 ft. of height (44° C. in 100 meters), and that of the " Phoenix" was 

 4° F. in 1 ,000 ft. (.73° C. in 100 meters). This is an extraordinary differ- 

 ence and is due in large part, if not wholly, to the increased heat experi- 

 enced at the very highest point from insolation, although it is higbly 

 probable that the temperature does diminish at a slightly less rate 

 in Europe at the higher elevations. The "Majestic" failed to reach 

 any high altitude. 



Such experiments, though giving us meager information of the higher 

 regions, are of the greatest value. If it be true that our cold and hot 



